Reflections on Generosity for Capital Campaigns

"...We frequently make our gifts conditional on the giving of others, not because we wish to force people to do their duty, but because we wish in this way to root the institution in the affections of as many people as possible who, as contributors, become personally concerned, and thereafter may be counted on to give to the institution their watchful interest and coöperation...."

This week, I’m reading from Random Reminiscences of Men and Events by John D. Rockefeller, published in 1909.

Reflection questions:

• Who are the donors in your donor database that would likely catch the vision of leveraging additional generosity through their matching or challenge gift?

• What is your plan for growing the affections and the engagement of the donors who respond to that matching gift challenge? 

Reflection on quote:

Christmas in July is a marketing gimmick. However, preparing for our year-end campaign in July and August is not.  One aspect of year-end campaign planning is matching or challenge gifts. While often seen as a recent phenomenon in fundraising, it actually has a long history.  

Rooting the nonprofits we serve in the affections of as many people as possible who, as contributors, become personally concerned in the cause is the primary goal of matching or challenging gifts.  It’s not about the amount or number of donations.  It’s an opportunity to gain more donors and engage current donors more deeply in the causes they care about.  Because of this, when we ask for matching or challenge gifts, we can confidently ask the donor to help leverage additional generosity through their matching or challenge gift.  We can confidently ask the donor to grow the affections of other potential and current donors.  

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To explore small town capital campaign coaching deeper and to schedule an free explore coaching call, visit ServingNonprofits.com.

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"...When we have decided to accept, let us accept with cheerfulness, showing pleasure, and letting the giver see it, so that he or she may at once receive some return for their goodness..."

This week, I am reading a quote from On Benefits by Seneca the Younger, published in 59 AD.  Seneca uses the word “benefit” to denote an act of charity.

Reflection question:

• Think back to the last few donations you’ve received.  How have you received them?  With lukewarmness, distraction, pride, or true expressions of gratitude?

Reflection on quote:

When a donor makes a gift to our organizations, they're not just writing a check. They're extending trust, hope, and belief in our missions. Yet too often, our lukewarm responses leave them wondering if their gift even mattered. Seneca understood something profound: how you receive that first donation determines whether there will be second and another. Gracious, public gratitude creates a positive cycle where donors experience immediate joy from seeing their impact, naturally leading to deeper engagement. And, as this quote outlines, authentic gratitude which celebrates both the gift and the giver creates abundance. When we celebrate donors enthusiastically, we are inviting our entire community into a story of collective transformation that's far more powerful than any individual effort.

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To explore small town capital campaign coaching deeper and to schedule an free explore coaching call, visit ServingNonprofits.com.

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"...And joy is the appropriate attitude with which to help others because acts of generosity are a source of blessing to the giver as well as the receiver..."

This week, I’m reading a quote from John Chrysostom from the 400 A.D.s.

Reflection questions:

If you are writing a fundraising appeal for an urgent need, step back and ask yourself these two questions.

• What will the donor feel when they read or hear your appeal?

• Does the appeal honor the subject’s dignity or, if a place or thing, the subject's significance or importance?

Reflection of the quote:

In the United States this week, a law was signed that will cut many social services. Naturally, many human services nonprofits are expecting an increase in need and are therefore preparing fundraising asks.  Also, this week, the United States, there were some tragic natural disasters.  Nonprofits serving in those areas are also preparing fundraising asks.  Each day, across the globe, something urgent occurs that leads nonprofits to ask donors to give. How we portray the urgent need matters. 

When we are faced with an urgent need involving our constituents, whether it is a person, animal, place, or thing, the way we portray the fundraising need matters. There are methods that invoke fear, scarcity, and obligation.  These techniques have been described as “poverty porn.”  The essential of poverty porn is outlined in this week’s quote.  It invokes a reluctant sense of duty and makes the subject - our constituents - embarrassed and demeaned. They also make the donor feel fearful, angry, and resentful.  In the short-term, these techniques do raise funds.  However, in the long-term, donor don’t keep giving because anger is a life-sucking companion.  Within this week’s ancient wisdom there is a better way.  That is, to ask with a spirit of joy and gratitude and to set a vision for the donor that they get to be a source of blessing to meet this urgent need. 

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To explore small town capital campaign coaching deeper and to schedule an free explore coaching call, visit ServingNonprofits.com.

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"...All that happens, happens right: you will find it so if you observe narrowly..."

This week, I am reading a quote from Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, written around 171 AD.

Reflection questions:

• When you have failed in your work recently, how are you observing narrowly for the right things that came out of it?

• Are you seeking perfection or goodness in your fundraising activities?

Reflection on the quote:

In working with over 100 clients, it’s not surprising that I’m well-acquainted with failure as well. A donor event that no one shows up to. An email campaign that raises zero dollars. A year-end direct mail campaign that goes out in January. A fundraising event where no one gives.  As much as I want every campaign, event, fundraising activity to be successful, that’s not real life.  So how do we grapple with that. This week, I am reading a quote from Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, written around 171 AD.

All that happens, happens right.  Notice that Aurelius didn't say, all that happens, happens perfectly.  Or, successfully.  But, he says “right if you observe narrowly.” We can get stuck in embarrassment or paralysis.  We can fear that donors will stop giving to us because of our failure. Instead, a failure can help us have more honest interactions with donors. For instance, ask the donor help us understand the best way to give you the opportunity to donate.  Or, a failure can lead to the right conversations with the right donors.  For example, a smaller-than-hoped-for event can open up a more in-depth conversation that wouldn’t have been possible if the event was larger. Failures can lead to growth when we have the right attitude, which is the second half of the quote.  Let your aim be goodness in every action.  We don’t fail in fundraising because we want to fail.  But we will fail because failure is a part of life. So, we don’t aim for perfection or status.  We aim for goodness.  Goodness for the cause that we serve. And, remember, donors don’t give to us. They give to the cause through us.

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To explore small town capital campaign coaching deeper and to schedule an free explore coaching call, visit ServingNonprofits.com.

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..."See first that you yourself deserve to be a giver, and an instrument of giving.
     For in truth it is life that gives unto life—while you, who deem yourself a giver, are but a witness...."

This week, I’m reading on this poem On Giving by Khalil Gibran from The Prophet‍, published in 1923. 

Reflection question:

• Are you an instrument of giving?
  
  

Reflection on quote:

What is the first action that every fund development professional should do upon taking a job?  Give. Give to the organization where you work. Once we ourselves are givers, it is then we can be receivers.

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To explore small town capital campaign coaching deeper and to schedule an free explore coaching call, visit ServingNonprofits.com.

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"...Acknowledging that one does not know is a humble kind of ignorance, one that is, in fact, filled often with the joy of discovery and wonder at what is discovered..."

This week, I’m reading a quote from Imposed Ignorance and Humble Ignorance - Two Worldviews by Paul Heltne, published in 2008.

Reflection Questions:

• Are we building structures and processes in our work that demand certainty or are we building those structures and processes to encourage discovery and wonder?

• Are we willing to be honest and humble with donors when we need to make a course correction?

Reflection on the Quote

Earlier this week, I was coaching a client through the process of asking for a corporate sponsorship.  She knew that this was an area that she knew little about, but instead of being defensive, she embraced this ignorance with openness and curiosity.  It stuck me.  How am I approaching my ignorance whether it’s about a donor or a fundraising technique or a trend in the field.

This also applies to generosity.  We can approach donor relationships with certainty, with standard practices, and yet we may never find out the true reason a donor is giving to our organizations.  In the face of our certainty, the donor may feel foolish to ask questions or be open with us.  Or, we can approach donor relationships with this humble ignorance.  We can build the relationship on a foundation of discovery, wonder, and openness. We can marvel at unexpected gifts. We can make course corrections and be honest with donors.

What do you think? Send me a text.

To explore small town capital campaign coaching deeper and to schedule an free explore coaching call, visit ServingNonprofits.com.

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"...We cannot attempt to recount here the long story of all good causes which came to be recognized only after lonely pioneers had devoted their lives and fortunes to arousing the public conscience, of their long campaigns until at last they gained support..."

This week, I’m reflecting on this quote by Friedrich Hayek from The Constitution of Liberty, published in 1960.

Reflection questions:

•  As you consider this quote, are there donors that come to mind?  Donors who will devote their time and wealth sacrificially for the causes we serve?

• How will you walk beside these donors to support and encourage them in their community leadership?

Reflection on quote:

The role of wealth in our society and in nonprofit work has been much debated.  While we are all aware of demanding donors with unproductive ideas, on LinkedIn, someone posted a quote discussing how individual donors can create positive societal change.

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of coaching a client through a gap campaign where the client had to raise $2 million in 6 weeks or face significant financial consequences. Quietly, a small group of major donors stepped in.  The leadership of these donors has and will lead to more giving by the community.  As Hajek states, when donors employ their wealth sacrificially in order to arouse the public conscience, there can be significant societal change.  The challenge for us as fund development professionals is to identify within our communities and donor databases those lonely pioneers willing to devote their lives and fortunes to our causes and work beside them.

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To explore small town capital campaign coaching deeper and to schedule an free explore coaching call, visit ServingNonprofits.com.

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"...Two different roads are presented to us, equally leading to the attainment of this so much desired object; the one, by the study of wisdom and the practice of virtue; the other, by the acquisition of wealth and greatness..."

This week, I’m reflecting on a quote by Adam Smith from The Theory of Moral Sentiments, published in 1759.

Reflection question:

• As we show generosity to wealthier donors, are we also cultivating a character of humble modesty and equitable justice?

Reflection on quote:

Last week, we talked about generous love to various categories of people: those poor, those wealthy, and those peers. As we show generosity to our donors, we can fall into a trap. 

While we are no longer concerned with ordering society by class distinctions, Smith challenges us to take the path of humble modesty and equitable justice as we fashion our behaviors towards our donors.    

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To explore small town capital campaign coaching deeper and to schedule an free explore coaching call, visit ServingNonprofits.com.

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"I shall pass through this world but once. Any good thing, therefore, that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer it or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.”

This week, I’m reflecting on the words of Henry Drummond from The Greatest Thing in the World, published in 1874.

Reflection question:

• How are we showing the generous love found in service, courtesy, and giving this week?

Reflection on quote:

How we treat those we serve whether our constituents or donors and volunteers is an outgrowth of how we love.  A generous love includes three aspects: service, courtesy, and giving. In my opinion, this quote truly sums up the aspirational nature of fund development work.  Service, courtesy, and giving.

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To explore small town capital campaign coaching deeper and to schedule an free explore coaching call, visit ServingNonprofits.com.

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"...Donor prospects are not objects; they are subjects, and like all of us, they want to contribute to something meaningful and life-giving and successful. Like us, they too search for meaning, have fears and hopes, desires and regrets, and beliefs that should be acknowledged and reverenced..."

In honor of the 100th episode, this week, I am re-reading two quotes from the first episode from Imagining Abundance. Fundraising, Philanthropy, and A Spiritual Call to Service. Kerry Alys Robinson. 2014.

Reflection questions:

• How will you pause this week and consider if you are seeing a donor as an object or a subject? 

• When was the last time you asked a donor to share why they give and what meaning they would like for their gifts to have?

Reflection on quote:

Over the last two years, we have looked at writings on generosity to inform our fund development work today. Instead of discussing the latest fundraising techniques, we have reflected on these writings - from ancient to modern and from all cultures — to learn from them value of generosity. This podcast continues to seek that deeper wisdom of being a person in the beautiful space where generosity occurs.  Each week, the intent remains to take five minutes to reflect on a quote and one or two coaching questions to ground us for the week to come.

Especially in times of societal and economic uncertainties, we as fundraisers can feel the stress of meeting the budget and serving our mission.  And, when we feel that stress, we can begin to treat donors are objects.  We miss that donors find meaning through their gifts.  When we step back from our stress and seek to understand the meaning the donor is seeking, often their gifts are a greater blessing to us. It is a collaboration to find meaning and may even heal our sorrows of life.

To purchase this book:  Imagining Abundance. Fundraising, Philanthropy, and A Spiritual Call to Service.

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What do you think? Send me a text.

To explore small town capital campaign coaching deeper and to schedule an free explore coaching call, visit ServingNonprofits.com.

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